Politics Friday

Minnesota Public Radio
  • 4.5 (40)
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Politics Friday

Weekly updates from Brian Bakst and the Minnesota Public Radio newsroom staff covering politics in Minnesota.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Politics Friday: Crime, public safety measures drive debates at the Capitol

    It’s back to business at the Capitol, and several public safety-related bills have been introduced this session.  But which bills have enough bipartisan support to pass in a divided Legislature?   MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talks with two key lawmakers about public safety and the proposals seeking to reshape laws from traffic offenses to felony crime sentencing.   Later in the hour, two political analysts break down the last month in state and national politics. President Donald Trump has brought his predictably unpredictable style back to the White House and Minnesota’s 2026 election stakes have been raised. We’ll find out what to expect over coming months. Guests:   Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park  Rep. Paul Novotny, R-Elk River  Abou Amara is a political analyst and Twin Cities attorney.   Preya Samsundar is a political analyst and a GOP strategist.   Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.    Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

    51 min

  2. FEB 14

    Politics Friday: As a Minnesota senator bows out, a GOP lawmaker leans into party agenda

    President Donald Trump’s makeover of the federal government is going full steam. But he’s doing it in a way that has gone around Congress — with one executive action after another. But soon, Trump will need congressional votes to pay for his immigration crackdown and to extend a series of tax breaks.  MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst will speak with Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, from a northern Minnesota district, about the part he’ll play in Washington. Later, a check-in with the top tax official in Minnesota as tax filing season approaches its second busiest filing weekend. Plus, a frank conversation with Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith about her decision to not run for reelection in 2026. Guests: U.S. Sen. Tina Smith U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, MN-8 Paul Marquart, commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Revenue Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.    Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

    53 min

  3. FEB 6

    Politics Friday: Blur of action in Washington, back to action in St. Paul

    MPR News host Brian Bakst talks about the blistering change in Washington with U.S. Sen. Tina Smith. And the scuffle in the Minnesota House is over. We discuss how lawmakers struck a deal to gavel in the session.

    50 min

  4. JAN 31

    Politics Friday: Democrats seek a new leader with Minnesota’s DFL party chair

    The Democratic National Committee will elect a new party chair this weekend. Minnesota’s Ken Martin, the current state DFL Party leader, is vying for the job. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and his guests talk about Martin’s run for the national party’s top post at a time where Democrats are regrouping. And Republicans in the state have a new leader, too. Minnesota Republican Party Chair Alex Plechash was elected to lead Minnesota’s conservative party in December. He joins the conversation to share the state of his party. Meanwhile, the oddity of the session continues as the chamber in the House fails to reach a quorum and DFLers will take back the Senate after a special election. We’ll get the latest news, and a roundup of voices, from the state Capitol with reporters Clay Masters and Peter Cox. Guests:   Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison  Minnesota Republican Party Chair Alex Plechash MPR News senior politics reporter Dana Ferguson Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS.    Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

    51 min

  5. JAN 23

    Politics Friday: As state high court pulled into Minnesota House dispute, what’s on the line?

    The Legislature opened its session on Jan. 14. But the House hasn’t been able to operate at full capacity.   Democrats are boycotting and Republicans have declined to cut a deal to share power or commit to leaving a DFL win in a contested House election intact. Now the Minnesota Supreme Court is involved.  Will a ruling by justices settle things or could the standoff linger deeper into the session?  MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst talked to the two Minnesota lawmakers with a role in the power struggle. Later, he spoke with two legal scholars about how the constitutional tug-of-war is playing out.

    51 min

  6. JAN 17

    Politics Friday: The 2025 Legislature is off to a bumpy start

    The tied Minnesota Senate got under way in amicable fashion with senators notching a power-sharing deal to avoid problems. The House is another story. Democrats boycotted and republicans went full steam ahead — despite legal questions about their ability to do so. It’s a bit messy. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and his guests talk about the first week of the 2025 legislative session from a panel discussion he recorded with a pair of lawmakers at the Minnesota’s Chamber of Commerce annual session issues forum earlier in the week. Plus, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who just put out his budget plan, joined the conversation. Guests: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Sen. Judy Seeberger, DFL-Afton Rep. Andrew Myers, R-Tonka Bay Subscribe to the Politics Friday podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast.   Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

    1h 11m

  7. JAN 10

    As Legislature prepares for new session, rifts between parties show a partisan divide

    The Minnesota Legislature will gavel-in a new session on Jan. 14 at noon, and MPR’s politics team is at the Capitol to cover it all. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and his guests talk about the 2025 legislative session.

    50 min

  8. 12/13/2024

    Gov. Tim Walz reflects on Democrats’ shortcomings, return to Minnesota as political ground shifts

    MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst speaks with senior politics reporter Dana Ferguson about her interview with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for a special episode of Politics Friday. After a whirlwind bid for vice president, Walz returns to Minnesota and reflects on what went wrong for Democrats in November. Walz also talks about his approach to working across the political aisle and passing a two-year state budget amid a changed political dynamic in St. Paul. Republicans were able to break up the DFL trifecta at the Capitol, tying Democrats for control of the House of Representatives. The Senate maintains a one-vote DFL advantage. And finally, the governor introduces a plan to curb fraud and abuse in state government programs and speaks to the delay in the state’s roll out of the nascent cannabis industry.

    28 min
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About

Weekly updates from Brian Bakst and the Minnesota Public Radio newsroom staff covering politics in Minnesota.

Information

  • Creator
    Minnesota Public Radio
  • Years Active
    2006 - 2025
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Minnesota Public Radio
  • Show Website
    Politics Friday

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